Video Candidates discuss taxes, tariffs, energy and more at Fort St. John all-candidates forum

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. —  Four of the five hopefuls for the Prince George, Peace River and Northern Rockies MP riding came together to discuss their platforms at an all-candidates forum ahead of the 2025 Canadian federal election.

Bob Zimmer of the Conservative Party, the incumbent MP; David Watson of the People’s Party; Mary Forbes of the Green Party; and Cory Longley of the New Democratic Party all gathered at the Lido Theatre on April 15th in Fort St. John. Peter Njenga of the Liberal Party declined to attend the event. 

When asked about their top priorities for the riding, and whether they would work across party lines to achieve these priorities, the candidates had a variety of responses, with most focusing on affordability. 

Forbes said affordability is an important topic and taxation across the country should be adjusted to better support Canadians. 

She referenced plans by the Green Party to adjust the start of income tax from $30,000 to $40,000, expand paid leave for elder care and family needs, and provide free education for Canadians who attend trade school, college or university. 

Zimmer also discussed affordability, alongside the Conservative Party’s plans to “bring the economy back to where it should be” and better protect the riding’s natural resource-based economy which he said was being “suppressed.” 

Watson too focused on affordability, and a desire to improve life for Canadians by fixing the “over-bloated bureaucratic state” of the federal government. 

Longley acknowledged affordability was a major concern for Canadians, one that the NDP would address through measures such as taxing the one per cent, but also recognized the priority of sovereignty and protecting the country from the United States. 

The NDP candidate also stated he would be “willing to work with anybody anytime, as long as their opinion is good.”

The candidates also discussed their party’s plans for ensuring northeastern B.C. communities were able to make the transition to green energy sustainably without losing employment opportunities.

Longley and Forbes discussed the variety of opportunities available to the region, and Watson and Zimmer mentioned cautious, long-term approaches and expanding LNG exports internationally. 

Longley and Zimmer clashed on several occasions about the NDP’s involvement with the Liberal Party and Zimmer’s history as an MP in the riding.

The forum lasted more than two hours, with candidates sharing their party’s differing plans and opinions on the role of government, energy, the economy and more.

Attendees also had the opportunity to ask their questions to the candidates, with topics brought including taxation, governmental oversight, affordable addiction treatment centres and management of online speech. 

This forum was one of three planned across the riding ahead of voting day. The next debate will be taking place in Prince George at the University of Northern B.C. campus on April 23rd.

Early voting for the federal election 2025 will take place between April 18th and 22nd, before the main polling day on April 28th.

Read all of Energeticcity.ca‘s coverage in the run up to the election here.